My friend Michael Hyatt is one of the top bloggers in the world on leadership and social media. He is the Chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishers. He has just released an amazing new book for anyone with something to say or sell called Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World.

Platform offers a step-by-step guide with proven strategies, practical tips and easy-to-replicate formulas. Whether you are an author, pastor, public speaker, entrepreneur, musician, or small business owner… developing your platform is critical for your success.

Keep reading to learn how you can receive $375 worth of free bonus content when you purchase the book between May 21 and May 25.

Usually a mark of a good book is when someone says, “I couldn’t put the book down!” Well, I find the opposite to be true with Platform. I kept putting the book down so that I could improve my own platform. Each short chapter is extremely practical and immediately actionable.

What exactly is a platform?

In Michael’s own words, “A platform is the thing you have to stand on to get heard. It’s your stage. But unlike a stage in the theater, today’s platform is not built of wood or concrete or perched on a grassy hill. Today’s platform is built of people. Contacts. Connections. Followers.” This book is not intended to show you how to use people. Instead, the focus is on broadcasting your life-changing message or innovative product to the people who may need it most. If you’ve got “something to say or sell” then “Platform” is a must-read.

The book is broken up into bite-sized chunks organized into five parts. The first part deals with your content (your message or product) and how to make it more compelling. In the next four parts, Michael outlines practical steps necessary in building your platform so that you can broadcast your message or deliver your product to as many people as possible. Some of these tips include developing your blog content, increasing twitter followers, branding your self or your product, monetizing your blog, Facebook tips, securing raving endorsements, and more.

If you have something to say or sell, “Platform” is going to become your playbook to help you say it louder or sell it faster. After all, people need to hear or discover what you have to offer.

How To Receive Michael’s Special Offer

For a limited time, if you purchase a copy of Platform ($13.76 on Amazon) you can get an additional $375 worth of content including a Platform Video Jumpstart Program (six sessions), How to Write a Winning Book Proposal (two e-books and two audio sessions), Why NOW is the Best Time Ever to Be an Author (hour-long video), Digital Versions of Platform (audio and eBook), and more!

Purchase Platform. You can chose from any online retailer or your local bookseller. The book retails for $24.99, but many retailers are selling it for $15—give or take.

E-mail Michael a copy of the receipt. You can simply forward a copy of the receipt from your online retailer to gifts@michaelhyatt.com. If you buy a physical copy from a local retailer, scan the receipt and e-mail it to the same address. It’s that simple.

Confirm your e-mail address. I follow a strict, double opt-in e-mail list procedure. I don’t want to inadvertently spam anyone. I will reply to your e-mail and ask you to confirm your address before I proceed further. (Actually, this is all automated, but you get the idea.)

I highly recommend this book. Not only is it a great book (I’ve read it and have followed Michael’s blog for years) but it’s probably the best deal I’ve seen in a while. But you have to do it this week! The offer is only good through May 25th.

Title: Great Joy In That CityText: Acts 8:1-8Main Idea: A city has cause for great joy when the Good News is proclaimed and good deeds are performed in that city.Notes: This was a message I preached in Bayside, NY and then in Yonkers, NY. The purpose is to show how God sovereignly mobilizes His people to fulfill His Great Commission.

The only difference is that in this “business” the “business partners” won’t be getting a financial return; the “employees” pay (tithe) the company for the privilege of working for free; “customers” are asked to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Jesus; and the “product” is a message that is offensive to 90% of the people who hear it.

That’s why I’ve come to a few conclusions about what it takes to start a church:

It takes an act of God to start a church.

That act of God always involves the people of God.

It’s up to God to get the right people in the right places at the right time.

God mobilizes some people to go down into the mine and some people to hold the ropes.

An Act of God

Our journey to start churches in New York City proves that it takes an act of God to start a church.

I was recently at a missions forum put on by the International Mission Board (IMB). This forum happened a couple of days after I blogged about reaching unreached people groups in US cities. The opening session was led by David Campbell of the IMB and the title was “Challenges to Reaching the Unreached”. I want to share some of David’s talk and use that as a springboard to go a bit deeper into what I previously wrote about reaching the unreached.

According to various sources (IMB, Joshua Project, etc.) there are something like 11,600+ people groups in the world today. The IMB definition of a people group is “the largest group through which the gospel can flow without encountering a significant barrier”. About 6,750 of those people groups are unreached (which is defined as a people group with less than 2% evangelical).

David listed physical, religious and safety issues as some of the challenges to our missionaries in other nations.

Physical Challenges

Travel time – Many of the unreached peoples of the world are in areas that might take 2-5 days to get to.

Climate – Some of these areas take a lot of adjustment (high altitude, rainy, extreme heat or cold, etc.).

Daily life – It’s just a different pace and a different way of life for some people of the world.

Isolation – Once a missionary gets to the field it might be months or years before he or she can make contact with friends and family back home.

Health concerns – I’ve been on more than one short-term mission project where participants went home with deep illness. Water is almost always an issue in some hard to reach areas.

Physical exertion – I’ve trekked through the Andes from one village to another and the high altitude almost killed me.